I thought it was about time I'd post up my review of the Storm Motorwerks Illuminated SMG Shifter Paddles.

I know Bilal from SM since 2012 and he is has an awesome talent of making brushed aluminum and Ti coated goodies for BMWs. I first got his Illuminated Sat NAV Knobs in Ti and then the SMG Gator Ring in Ti to Match. Since then I started bugging him about doing some Paddles for us SMG folk.

Now, The Illumination for the paddles does not require any external power source so no need for any wiring. Since the illumination is not with LEDs but using glass vials with self powered illuminating material - the light is a subtle glow rather than a sharp distracting light allowing you to maintain focus on the road. The light itself is amber in color to match the E46 M3 dash.

Since the vials are glass and have a thickness - the + sign is achieved using one vial behind the other. Although at angles the rear vial may not be seen - when in use on the steering wheel, the paddles are facing the driver head-on and both vials are perfectly visible. More importantly, at night, the illumination is clear and uniform forming the + symbol beautifully.

Here is a cool video from their site and a link to the paddles on their site:

I received my Storm Ti SMG Illuminated Paddles on 28 Dec 2013 and started to take some pics....

Un-boxing and some detailed shots

Installation and comparison with OEM Paddles...

Day time installed pics....

Night Time Installed pics...

First impressions while driving are that I don't have tor each for the paddles any more. I know that sounds weird but with the neorprene backing the paddles are a light touch away and a tactile feel no matter what the ambient temperature is.

I absolutely love the extra padding and feel while shifting. Also the illuminated + and - signs are cool and match beautifully with the OEM orange interior and gauge cluster lighting.

As I mentioned earlier I have some other interior bits from STORM and here are some pics I took today
My Storm SMG Gaiter Ring in Ti: